Aimee Hildenbrand, a doctoral student working under the mentorship of Dr. Brian Daly, was awarded the Graduate Student Spotlight Award by the Society of Pediatric Psychology (APA Division 54) in recognition of her commitment to the field.

Drexel University’s political science professors finish out the year on a high note. In Paris, France and Washington, D.C., our professors have been contributing to important conversations, from forging new political identities in Venezuela to explaining the slow and faulty response to the Ebola crisis.

The history program at Drexel University invites applications from graduate students in all disciplines for participation in a two-week summer institute, “Standards in Society,” to be held in Philadelphia, July 12-25, 2015.

Last week, the University approved the college's request to reorganize the Department of Culture and Communication into four distinct departments. Those units, and their respective leadership, are as follows:

Warped eggplant. Dented zucchini. Too-small squash. One major area of food waste in America is on farms, where crops that aren't suitable for supermarket shelves – usually for aesthetic reasons – are left in the fields to rot. In fact, according to the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, Feeding America, more than 6 billion pounds of fruits and vegetables go unharvested or unsold each year.

Did you hear the news today? Science has finally proven that men are bigger idiots than women. Men: Hold on and don’t get too defensive just yet. Women: Don’t gloat, or we may turn out to be the idiots here. Because there are a few problems with this news that we should talk about.

Mark McCurdy, a second year doctoral student advised by Drs. Brian Daly and Douglas Chute, was selected to receive the 2015 Thesis Award granted by the Education Advisory Committee of the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology.

PhD student Elizabeth Nicholls and mentor Brian Daly examined depression and anxiety in children with spina bifida living in Colombia, South America, in the first study investigating these topics in a developing area.

Joyce talks about her first three years as Director of the Center, highlighting the collaborations it has fostered, as well as what is on the horizon. Joyce also recounts what she has gleaned from her STS students, Drexel faculty and Drexel’s community.

Julia M. Hildebrand is a doctoral student in Communication, Culture, and Media and Communication and has joined the Mobilities Center as a Research Assistant on the project "The Imaginary of Rail Transport and Mobility in the United States." Julia will be assisting Dr. Mimi Sheller in conducting interviews with decision makers involved in planning for the future of the Northeast Corridor.

With Halloween on the horizon, DrexelNow reached out to Jonathan Seitz, PhD, director of undergraduate studies and associate teaching professor of history in the College of Arts and Sciences, who will be teaching a new course on the history of witchcraft during the winter term. He also authored the book “Witchcraft and Inquisition in Early Modern Venice” (Cambridge University Press, 2011), and is currently conducting research exploring magic and witchcraft practices closer to home — in Pennsylvania around 1700 and in more recent times.

Artist, designer and urban planner Candy Chang wants the University City community to think about life and death. She recently installed one of her popular "Before I Die" walls at the University City High School construction site as a precursor to her visit as a distinguished speaker in the spring.

Hallie Espel was recently awarded the Obesity Society's Pat Simons Travel Grant, which is awarded to presenters at the Annual Meeting of the Obesity Society, based on the quality of the abstracts they submit.

Congratulations to Stephanie Kerrigan (mentor: Meghan Butryn), doctoral candidate, the recipient of two awards for her abstract titled, "Distress Tolerance as a Predictor of Physical Activity Intentions and Engagement," to be presented at the 2014 meeting of the Obesity Society.

Lee Gutkind, “the ‘Godfather’ behind creative nonfiction” (Vanity Fair), will join Drexel University on Monday, Nov. 3 from 2 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. for a workshop and discussion to help faculty, students and other scholars, researchers and academics learn how to write about their research for a broad audience. The event aims to help those who have a passion to share their knowledge outside of the classroom, laboratory or institution to communicate their ideas to the public to advance knowledge and create new dialogue.

Ambassador Joseph M. Torsella (Ret.) has been named Drexel University Distinguished Visiting Fellow in Public Policy for the duration of this academic year. He will contribute to the teaching and scholarship undertaken by Drexel’s Center for Public Policy, and in particular help advance the Center’s efforts to facilitate public policy discussion and debate in the region.

Seeking care for behavioral health concerns, whether for yourself or your child, can itself cause some stress – especially if you don’t know what to look for in a therapist, or if your insurance coverage for mental health is limited or nonexistent.

John A. Fry, President of Drexel University, announced that "Ambassador Joseph M. Torsella (Ret.) has been named Drexel University Distinguished Visiting Fellow in Public Policy for the duration of this academic year.

A first-authored paper by Aimee Hildenbrand (mentors: Brian Daly and Doug Chute) entitled "Increased risk for school violence-related behaviors among adolescents with insufficient sleep" was selected as a 2013 Top School Health Paper by the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on School Health (COSH).

Loÿc Vanderkluysen, PhD, who recently joined Drexel as an assistant professor in Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science in the College of Arts and Sciences, returned Friday from fieldwork in Indonesia monitoring the active Sinabung volcano

Gwen Ottinger, assistant professor in the Center for STS, has been awarded a prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award for her project, "Environmental Justice and the Ethics of Science and Technology." The study focuses on the efforts of community groups, non-profits, regulators, and oil companies to expand ambient air monitoring at refinery fencelines, asking: does the choice of monitoring technologies and/or the structure of collaboration among these groups affect the ethical claims that are made?

Mimi Sheller, PhD, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Mobilities Research and Policy, has been elected President of the International Association for the History of Transport, Traffic, and Mobility

On October 2 and 3, academics, foundation and non-profit leaders, and high-level policy makers will convene in Washington, D.C. to advance "civic science". Civic science addresses the most important, intractable challenges of our age-including health care, education, and the environment-through transdisciplinary, participatory research that advances knowledge and democracy simultaneously.

Stephanie Goldstein, a doctoral student in clinical psychology (mentor: Evan Forman), is a winner of the 2014 American Psychological Association/Psi Chi Junior Scientist Fellowship, which comes with a $1000 grant to fund her research (Developing and evaluating a smartphone app to predict and prevent dietary lapses among those in a weight loss program).

Chloe Silverman, PhD, joined the College last fall as an associate professor in the Center for Science, Technology and Society. In this Q&A, the social scientist reveals why she's recently been sporting a beekeeper suit and what she hopes to add to the CoAS community.

The holidays will be here before you know it, which means it’s time to start saving money for all those presents, parties and flights to visit family and friends! Lucky for you, the College of Arts and Sciences and the departments of Physics and Psychology are hiring

This summer, renowned Drexel conservationist Gail W. Hearn, PhD, retired from her roles as director of the Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program (BBPP) and professor of biology at Drexel University. Hearn built a distinguished career in conservation, education and research, focusing her efforts over the last 20 years on protecting the rich biodiversity of Bioko Island off the coast of Africa.

More than a thousand residents and visitors to southern New Jersey will dig their own fossils and learn from the Drexel University
paleontologist and students who conduct globally significant scientific
research at Mantua Township's third annual Community Fossil Dig Day.

The new Psychological Services Center on Drexel's campus now offers high-quality, scientifically informed, affordable psychological services for the community and clinical training opportunities for doctoral students.

With recent funding from the National Institute for Standards and Technology (the federal agency founded over a century ago as the National Bureau of Standards), four Drexel historians—Scott Knowles, PhD, Sharon Ku, PhD, Tiago Saraiva, PhD, and Amy Slaton, PhD—have begun a set of new teaching and research projects centered on the global history of standards: the practices and protocols that hover behind nearly every aspect of our modern lives.

Check out Drexel News Blog's two-part interview with Kenneth Lacovara, PhD, in regards to his recent Dinosaur discovery. Part 1 features more insight into the dinosaur's anatomy and lifestyle. In Part 2 Lacovara looks back into the process of discovery and then forward into how paleontology is going high-tech and much more.

We are delighted to welcome more than 130 international visitors to Drexel University and the City of Philadelphia for the 12th Annual Conference of the Association for the History of Transport, Traffic and Mobility on September 18-21, 2014.

A Drexel-led team has described a new dinosaur species with the most complete skeleton ever found of one of the largest animals to ever walk the Earth. At 85 feet (26 m) long and weighing about 65 tons (59,300 kg) in life, Dreadnoughtus schrani is the largest land animal for which a body mass can be accurately calculated.

Ezekiel Crenshaw, a PhD candidate in the lab of Aleister Saunders, PhD (Co-Advised by Michael Akins, PhD), has been awarded the Aging Research Dissertation Award to Increase Diversity (R36) from the National Institutes of Health.

Justin Carone, BS psychology ’12, MS science, technology and society ’15, was awarded second prize from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for the Annual Student Paper Competition. Carone's paper, “Standards as Social Design Practice: From the Americans with Disabilities Act to the Accessible Icon Project,” was developed for the STS course Science, Technology and Diversity, taught by History Professor Amy Slaton, PhD, in spring of 2014.

Phillip Ayoub, PhD, assistant professor of political science, is the recipient of three highly esteemed awards! Ayoub has been named the 2014 winner of the American Political Science Association Human Rights Section award for the Best Dissertation in two categories: Human Rights and Sexuality & Politics. His dissertation, “When States ‘Come Out’: The Politics of Visibility and the Diffusion of Sexual Minority Rights in Europe” also won Cornell University’s Esman Prize for Distinguished Scholarship.

William Rosenberg, PhD, professor of political science, continues to be a hot ticket commentator on a variety of political topics. Rosenberg most recently appeared on the talk show panel "Fresh Outlook Today" on EBRU-TV, where he shared his perspectives on Ferguson, MO, the Ebola patient situation, political corruption and targeted repression of journalists, and the tough choices President Obama faces in Syria.

If Lloyd Ackert, PhD, had been given a career aptitude test when he was a high school student, the checkboxes measuring skills, interests, and values would never have produced the varied, sometimes bizarre, but surprisingly fitting list of jobs held by the son of a farm girl from Maine and a fern-picker from Vermont. Russian cryptological linguist specialist. Turkey leg-griller. Ice cream truck driver. Professor. Air force crewmember.

Aimee Hildenbrand (term 2013-2015) and Elizabeth Nicholls (term 2014-2016), advanced doctoral students in the Daly/Chute lab, were elected to the Student Advisory Board for the Society of Pediatric Psychology, Division 54 of the American Psychological Association.

Mobilities Center Director Mimi Sheller has a far-reaching range of new publications. From mobile media to globalization and border studies, this work gives a good idea of some of the key areas that are central to the vibrant interdisciplinary field of mobilities research.

It all started with a blog. Eighteen months ago, Ian Michael Crumm launched his eponymous style blog with the goal of showing, in his own words, “what I wear, what I love, what I do and where I go.” And that was just the beginning. In that short time, he’s built what started with his blog into a full-blown lifestyle brand that has spread throughout Philadelphia and is now reaching the rest of the country.

Philadelphians will soon get their newest opportunity to meet local scientists and learn about exciting advances in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the region, through an event created by a Drexel professor, called “Start Talking Science.”

Three doctoral students from Drexel's Laboratory of Pinelands Research are presenting their work with northern pine snakes and the Pine Barrens gentian at the Ecological Society of America meeting, after doing some new roadside research during their cross-country drive to Sacramento.

What does Drexel physics professor Dave Goldberg, PhD, have in common with George R. R. Martin, Stephen King and Guillermo del Toro? They all recently helped rank ‘The 100 best sci-fi movies’ for Time Out magazine.

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Carey Rosenthal, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry. Dr. Rosenthal passed away on July 30, 2014, after a series of health issues

Casey LaDuke, an advanced doctoral student in Drexel’s clinical psychology program mentored by Dave DeMatteo and Kirk Heilbrun, has been awarded an American Psychological Foundation Visionary Grant in the amount of $9,860.

While previous studies of individuals have shown that employees who lose their jobs have a higher mortality rate, more comprehensive studies have shown, unexpectedly, that population mortality actually declines as unemployment rates increase. Researchers from Drexel University and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor set out to better understand these seemingly contradictory findings.

Perched at the entrance of Lincoln Center, on the grand plaza that leads into the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week tent, Luvaas counted fewer photographers on the sidewalks this year snapping photos of the models, magazine editors, buyers and celebrities who swarm the annual event.

Kelly Joyce, PhD, professor and director of the Center for Science, Technology and Society, will serve as the co-principal investigator—along with Roberta Spalter-Roth, PhD, director of the American Sociological Association’s Research Department—on a $70,000 NSF grant to explore a Relational Model for Understanding the Use of Research in the Public Policy Process.

Philadelphia’s SugarHouse Casino opened its doors in September 2010 after years of protests from community members who feared that the casino would lead to an increase in neighborhood crime. However, a new study by researchers at Drexel University and Temple University reveals that these concerns were unfounded.

The annual Philadelphia Geek Awards have once again recognized the work of Drexel University’s faculty and students as some of the best examples of the city’s vibrant geek community over the past year.

Three Drexel University faculty members earned the distinction of being ranked among the most cited researchers in their respective fields according to Thomson Reuters’ “Highly Cited Researchers 2014” list. Gordon Richards, PhD, a professor in theCollege of Arts and Sciences, Yury Gogotsi, PhD, Distinguished University and Trustee Chair professor in the College of Engineering, and Peter DeCarlo, PhD, an assistant professor in the College of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences, were included on the list of 3,215 distinguished researchers compiled by the international media and information company.

Gordon Richards, associate professor of Physics, CoAS, has been recognized as a "Highly Cited Researcher 2014" by Thomson-Reuters. According to ScienceWatch, “spotlighting some of the standout researchers of the last decade, Thomson Reuters has launched Highly Cited Researchers, a compilation of influential names in science.” Highly Cited Researchers 2014, as described by Thomson-Reuters, represents some of world’s leading scientific minds. Over three thousand researchers earned the distinction by writing the greatest numbers of reports officially designated by Essential Science Indicators℠ as Highly Cited Papers— ranking among the top 1% most cited for their subject field and year of publication, earning them the mark of exceptional impact.

In the first pilot study asking adults on the autism spectrum about their experiences with driving, researchers at Drexel University found significant differences in self-reported driving behaviors and perceptions of driving ability in comparison to non-autistic adults. As the population of adults with autism continues growing rapidly, thesurvey provides a first step toward identifying whether this population has unmet needs for educational supports to empower safe driving – a key element of independent functioning in many people’s lives.

Urban farms have been popping up in cities all over the world with benefits ranging from local food production and neighborhood beautification to job creation and crime reduction. But what happens when the funding used to start these farms runs out?

Katy Gonder, PhD, comes to Drexel with nearly 20 years of research experience from Central Africa. The primate enthusiast specializes in African biodiversity and conservation strategies, and joins bio prof Gail Hearn as co-director of the Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program.

The Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict ended, for me, not with a bang but with a tiny symbol of my irrelevance. As I stood, furiously tweeting, after the summit’s closing plenary, I was literally pushed aside by a bodyguard to Angelina Jolie. (Special Envoy to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Jolie was a co-host of the summit, with UK Foreign Secretary William Hague.)

From Coca-Cola cans to Apollo 11 to the Empire State Building, aluminum can be found almost anywhere you look. But are there unseen costs associated with this ubiquitous metal? In a new book, Drexel University’s Mimi Sheller, PhD, explores how aluminum enabled a high-speed, gravity-defying American modernity even as other parts of the world paid the price in environmental damage and political turmoil.

Sexting among youth is more prevalent than previously thought, according to a new study from Drexel University that was based on a survey of undergraduate students at a large northeastern university. More than 50 percent of those surveyed reported that they had exchanged sexually explicit text messages, with or without photographic images, as minors. The study also found that the majority of young people are not aware of the legal ramifications of underage sexting.

Aluminum has helped change the world in ways previously unimaginable. But the quest for more aluminum has also had damaging ripple effects on the environment and indigenous populations around the world.

The Department of History and Politics congratulates our 2014 honors societies inductees! Twenty-four students qualified to join the national honors societies for history and political science, demonstrating high academic achievement and commitment to their disciplines. Inductees were honored at receptions in late May.

Kelly Douglass, doctoral candidate, was the recipient of one of the five Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Award at the 224th meeting of the American Astronomical Society. The Astronomy Achievement Student Awards recognize exemplary research by undergraduate and graduate students who present at one of the poster sessions at the meetings of the AAS. Awardees are honored with a Chambliss medal. Kelly presented "Gas-phase Metallicity of Void Dwarf Galaxies." Her thesis advisor Prof. Michael Vogeley co-authored this work.

Teaching Assistant, Michael Minner was the recipient of the Teaching Excellence Award (presented by the Office of Graduate Studies) and the Albert Herr TA Award (presented by the Department of Mathematics). He also received a certificate of recognition for his contributions to SIAM (presented by the SIAM Student Chapter).

As the 2014 World Cup approaches, all eyes are on Brazil. The country has been plagued by claims that it is unprepared to host the massive sporting event and protests over the billions of dollars spent on construction costs.

Meghann Galloway was awarded the 2014 Student Travel Award in the amount of $300 on behalf of the American Psychological Association to facilitate her attendance at the annual convention in Washington, DC.

The Department of History and Politics congratulates Kathryn Steen, PhD, associate professor of history, on receiving the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. This is not the first teaching award Steen has earned; in 2006, she also received the University's award for junior faculty, the Allan Rothwarf Award for Teaching Excellence.

The nuanced reality of scientific and medical research is almost always a little more complicated than the attention-grabbing headlines claim. Even experienced health and science journalists struggle with how to balance reporting the news of the day with the broader context of what scientists really know so far.

In a study that began as a sixth-grade science fair project, researchers at Drexel University have found that a popular non-nutritive sweetener, erythritol, may be an effective and human-safe insecticide.

In a study that began as a sixth-grade science fair project, researchers at Drexel University have found that a popular non-nutritive sweetener, erythritol, may be an effective and human-safe insecticide. Erythritol, the main component of the sweetener Truvia®, was toxic to Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies in a dose-dependent manner in the Drexel team’s study, published in PLOS ONE. The flies consumed erythritol when sugar was available and even seemed to prefer it. No other sweeteners tested had these toxic effects.

Eight Drexel faculty members will be promoted to full professor effective Sept. 1. And with expertise ranging from architecture to photography, research covering everything from overeating to solar energy and international connections stretching to India, Japan, Ireland and beyond, they’re a diverse group.

Drexel University has been awarded funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) of $1.2 million over five years to implement strategies intended to increase the retention of undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) majors. Drexel’s project is focused on the theme of developing communities that improve student learning and faculty use of teaching approaches that improve retention.

Drexel University has been awarded funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) of $1.2 million over five years to implement strategies intended to increase the retention of undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) majors. Drexel's project is focused on the theme of developing communities that improve student learning and faculty use of teaching approaches that improve retention.

Cassandra King-Burgos, BA '12, is wrapping up her first year at Rutgers University New Brunswick. She is studying political theory and women and politics, and is the recipient of a Rutgers Excellence Fellowship, which funds four years in the PhD program.

More than 5,000 students will graduate from Drexel University at its 127th Commencement on June 13 and 14 in five separate ceremonies. Drexel will award 20 honorary degrees to prominent individuals distinguished in their fields including NBC News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell, legendary architect Robert A.M. Stern and MIT professor Robert Langer—the most cited engineer in history.

Congratulations to the following chemistry department undergraduate students who have won the awards listed below! The awards were officially presented at the College of Arts & Sciences Honors Day which was held May 22, 2014.

Congratulations to Physics majors Leo Bellefleur, Jeremy Gaison, Robyn Smith, Joseph Tomlinson and Charles Unruh who won awards at the CoAS Honors Day event, held on May 22, 2014, at Behrakis Grand Hall.

On May 20, 2014, a federal judge overturned Pennsylvania’s ban on same-sex marriage, making the Commonwealth the 19th state to legalize same-sex marriage. We caught up with Political Science Professor Scott Barclay, PhD, to learn more about the decision.

Arthur Nezu will provide the 2014 Commencement Address for the Graduate Programs of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and he has also been invited to be a faculty member of the week-long 14th Annual Summer Institute on Randomized Behavioral Clinical Trials.

There are more slaves in the world today than at any time in history, according to human trafficking expert and author E. Benjamin Skinner in his book "A Crime So Monstrous: Face-to-Face with Modern-Day Slavery." Skinner will join Drexel University on Wednesday, May 28, to speak about global slavery and his experiences reporting from dozens of countries in which slavery flourishes.

The Chemistry Department has initiated an annual event giving our students an opportunity to present their research. At this event the department announced the recipient of the 1st Annual Research Achievement Award, presented to an outstanding graduate student

There are more slaves in the world today than at any time in history, according to human trafficking expert and author E. Benjamin Skinner in his book "A Crime So Monstrous: Face-to-Face with Modern-Day Slavery."

Kryptoglanis shajii is a strange fish – and the closer scientists look, the stranger it gets. This small subterranean catfish sees the light of day and human observers only rarely, when it turns up in springs, wells and flooded rice paddies in the Western Ghats mountain region of Kerala, India. Scientists at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University have recently provided a detailed description of this fish's bizarre bone structures.

Reducing carbon emissions, improving efficiency of the power grid and using ultrasound to treat contaminated water are just a few of the research goals being pursued by the first round of projects funded by the A.J. Drexel Institute for Energy and the Environment. In all six projects received seed funding totaling $270,000 to investigate topics related to environmental protection and sustainability.

Assistant Professor of Physics Michelle Dolinski was recognized as the winner of "Drexel Employer of the Year" award. Each year, students nominate an exceptional employer based on their interaction with their direct manager and the positive experience they have received. Watch the video "What makes Professor Michelle Dolinski Co-op Employer of the Year?"

Reducing carbon emissions, improving efficiency of the power grid and using ultrasound to treat contaminated water are just a few of the research goals being pursued by the first round of projects funded by the A.J. Drexel Institute for Energy and the Environment. In all six projects received seed funding totaling $270,000 to investigate topics related to environmental protection and sustainability.

The Week of Writing, hosted by the Department of English and Philosophy, kicks off on Monday, May 12. Highlights include student readings, workshops, story slams and panel discussions including “Writing Lyrics,” “Storytelling in Unexpected Places” and “Writing about Sex.” Presenters will include students, faculty, journalists, playwrights, publishers, editors, poets, authors, songwriters and other noted guests.

Last week, the Supreme Court handed down its latest decision on the topic of affirmative action in college admissions, ruling 6-2 that voters can ban state colleges and universities from using race as a factor in admitting students. André Carrington was paying close attention.

Mark McCurdy was awarded the 2014 Student Travel Award on behalf of the American Psychological Association to support his attendance at the annual convention in Washington, DC, where he will be presenting his research examining predictors of neuropsychological outcome in survivors of pediatric brain tumor.

Heidi Strohmaier, a fourth-year doctoral student in clinical psychology, was recently awarded research grants from the American Academy of Forensic Psychology ($1,000) and the American Psychology-Law Society ($750).

The press of a button triggering a chain reaction of more than 300 energy transfers will serve as the elaborate opening to the 2014 Philadelphia Science Festival. The harbinger of this year’s week of science excitement is a Rube Goldberg machine –a complex device designed to perform a simple task- built by Drexel engineering students with the goal of setting a world record.

The United States needs more science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teachers. And Drexel has a wealth of bright students studying in those same fields. Now, a new program will connect Drexel’s strength with the nation’s need.

Court decisions that favor a heterosexual parent over a gay or lesbian parent in a custody dispute often do not consider important social science research on parenting by gay and lesbian individuals, according to a new review from Drexel University.

Aluminum shaped the twentieth century. It enabled high-speed travel and gravity-defying flight. It was the material of a streamlined aesthetic that came to represent modernity. And it became an essential ingredient in industrial and domestic products that ranged from airplanes and cars to designer chairs and artificial...

Doctoral candidate Maxwell Henderson won first prize in the Computation and Bio-Modeling category at this year Drexel Research Day. He presented “Model for aging and cognitive decline” and his advisor is Prof. Luis Cruz Cruz.

The Center for Mobilities Research and Policy is pleased to announce the publication of The Routledge Handbook of Mobilities, edited by Peter Adey, David Bissell, Kevin Hannam, Peter Merriman, and Mimi Sheller.

In a November episode of ABC’s “Born to Explore,” Drexel paleontologist Ken Lacovara, PhD, joined TV host Richard Wiese on a quest for New York City’s fossil collections—but not where you’d expect. The pair traveled to well-known sites, including Grand Central Station and Saks Fifth Avenue, where half-a-billion-year-old fossils can be found in the buildings’ limestone structures. Their Big Apple adventure, “Born to Explore New York: The Great Fossil Hunt,” received a Bronze Telly for Travel and Tourism at the 35th Annual Telly Awards competition.

Thomas T. Hewett, PhD, professor emeritus of psychology and computer science at Drexel University, is the recipient of the 2014 SIGCHI Lifetime Service Award for his contributions to the growth and success of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Special Interest Group on Computer Human Interaction (SIGCHI)—the premier international society for professionals, academics and students who are interested in human-technology & human-computer interaction (HCI).

Mimi Sheller, PhD, Director of the Center for Mobilities Research and Policy, will be undertaking a study of visions for high speed rail development on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor as part of a multi-site comparative study.

Jeremy Gaison, physics and mathematics junior, has achieved national distinction as a recipient of the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. The Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,166 mathematics, science and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. Jeremy plan to earn a PhD in Physics, conduct research in experimental particle physics, and teach at the university level.

Jeremy Gaison, physics and mathematics junior, has achieved national distinction as a recipient of the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. The Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,166 mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. Jeremy plans on earning a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics and to conduct research in particle cosmology and mathematical physics while teaching at the university level.

Communications and marketing students are invited to work together to solve a business case during the Comcast Business PR/Marketing Case Competition held May 9, 2014 in Gerri C. LeBow Hall. The competition is a great opportunity to showcase your skills, work on a practical case with your peers and present your ideas to a panel of esteemed judges. This team competition will require strategic thinking, ethical decision-making, strong leadership and presentation skills. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three teams.

Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common psychiatric disorders. But only one in five people who have the condition actually receive treatment for it. If you fear interaction with other people, then how do you build up the courage to call up a stranger on the phone and ask for help, let alone to go talk face-to-face with a therapist?

Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common psychiatric disorders. But only one in five people who have the condition actually receive treatment for it. Marina Gershkovich may have a solution to that problem.

Best-selling author and religion scholar Reza Aslan will join Drexel University on Wednesday, May 7, as the fourth lecturer in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Distinguished Lecture Series. Previous lecturers in the series include neuroscientist David Eagleman, acclaimed author Sir Salman Rushdie and media maven Arianna Huffington.

To the surprise of paleontologists, two halves of a turtle bone fit together perfectly, like puzzle pieces. The discovery linked scientists from the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and the New Jersey State Museum with their predecessors from the 19th century, while providing new insight into one of the largest turtle species that ever lived.

George Ciccariello-Maher, PhD, an assistant professor who specializes in social movements and political theory, recently returned from Cairo, Egypt and Amman, Jordan, where he spoke in commemoration of the year anniversary of Hugo Chávez’s death, as well as the 25th anniversary of a wave of major riots and massacres in Venezuela. Invited by the countries’ Venezuelan embassies, Ciccariello-Maher addressed crowds on the lessons learned from the 1989 rebellion, the ongoing clashes in Venezuela, and the parallels between all three countries’ political unrest.

When astronomer Carl Sagan’s series “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage” first aired, it instilled a love of science in people like Dave Goldberg. Can the rebooted version hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson do the same?

During World War II, more than a million African Americans fought in a segregated and discriminatory United States military. A landmark new documentary, "Choc'late Soldiers from the USA" produced by Drexel University writing professor Gregory Cooke, tells the compelling, previously untold story of 140,000 of these African American men and women who were stationed in Great Britain, and how they crossed a racial divide to forge an unexpected bond with British civilians.

In honor of the recent event “Celebrating Drexel’s Authors” which featured the University’s authors and editors who published books in 2013, the Department of History and Politics congratulates Rose Corrigan, PhD, on her book

College of Computing and Informatics Assistant Professor Michael Khoo, PhD, along with co-investigator Gary Rosenberg, PhD, Pilsbry Chair and Curator of Malacology at the Academy of Natural Sciences, was awarded a $13,000 grant from the Social Science Research fund (SSRF) for the project “From ‘Bug Data’ to Big Data: Communities of Practice, Networks of Practice, and Information Systems at the Academy of Natural Sciences.”

During World War II, more than a million African Americans fought in a segregated and discriminatory U.S. military. A landmark new documentary, “Choc'late Soldiers from the USA,” produced by Drexel University writing professor Gregory Cooke, tells the compelling, previously untold story of 140,000 of these African American men and women who were stationed in Great Britain, and how they crossed a racial divide to forge an unexpected bond.

The film will make its Philadelphia debut at Drexel on Tuesday, April 8at 6:30 p.m. in the Mitchell Auditorium of the Bossone Research Center (3120 Market St.). A question-and-answer session and reception will follow the screening from 8 – 9 p.m.

Drexel biologist Jennifer Stanford, PhD, was one of 13 scholars nationwide to be selected as part of the first group of Scientific Thinking and Integrative Reasoning Skills Scholars by the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

A recent issue of The New York Times Magazine featured a story on Wendy Davis, the Texas state senator who is now running for governor. Splashed across the cover of the magazine was the question, “Can Wendy Davis Have It All?” The headline – and the article, which included a detailed examination of Davis’ personal life, including her role in raising her two daughters – drew criticism, and was called everything from outdated and clichéd to outright sexist.

Nonprofit organizations often have many needs: Funding. Space. Volunteers. But how about an editor? The careful eye of a trained editor can be invaluable for groups that must communicate effectively to achieve their goals, and smaller organizations may not have the resources to pay one.

Last month we spoke with English prof Rachel Wenrick about her experience co-authoring "Spirit Rising: My Life, My Music" alongside Grammy Award-winning singer Angélique Kidjo. And while it was highly collaborative project between the writer and singer, Wenrick is the first to say they couldn't have done it without the help of Drexel psychology student and Humanities Fellow, Khushbu Patel.

Sometimes the quest for research leads to amazing places. For four Drexel history majors and their senior thesis faculty supervisor, that place was London. For five winter days, Sam Coppell, Zachary Cohen, Edward Stroud and Ulric Miller, along with history professor Lloyd Ackert, PhD, immersed themselves in research and the archives at the British Library, gathering materials for their senior theses.

With fashion week events taking place throughout the month in New York City, London, Milan and Paris, February has quickly become known as "fashion month" among fashion aficionados. And, this past month, as the throngs of models, editors, buyers, celebrities and fashion insiders made the month-long global trek, so did the street-style photographers.

The Psychology Department Spring Colloquium, "Men Are from Earth, Women Are from Earth: Science vs. the Media on Gender Differences", sponsored by the Master of Science in Psychology program, will be held on Monday, April 14th 2014 in Behrakis Hall.

Escalating political violence reached a boiling point this week in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev as more than 75 people were killed and hundreds more seriously injured in clashes between protesters who are seeking the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych and security forces loyal to his government.

Drexel’s Society of Physics Students (SPS) were recognized by the American Institute of Physics with the Marsh W. White Award and the Future Faces in Physics Award in support of their outreach initiatives.

Amanda Parshall received the first place prize in the oral presentations for 2014 CoAS Research Day. The title of her topic was "On The Distribution of Parameters in Random Staircase Tableaux" and her advisor is Pawel Hitczenko. Congratulations to Amanda!

In celebration of the 14th annual College of Arts and Sciences Research Days on February 17-18, 2014, over 125 students presented on topics ranging from biowall manufacturing and dark matter, to juvenile probation and the "world's most famous teenager," Malala.

Dr. Christian Hunold, Associate Professor, Department of History and Politics and Dr. Franco Montalto, Associate Professor, Civil Architectural, and Environmental Engineering were recently awarded a Social Science Research Fund (SSRF) grant in the amount of $7,600 for the project “Cities and Climate Change: Comparing Philadelphia, Phoenix, and San Diego.”

Drexel University has been selected to receive a $1.45 million grant from the National Math and Science Initiative to replicate the UTeach program, a secondary STEM teacher preparation initiative that is helping address the nation’s STEM education crisis by producing qualified math and science teachers across the country.

Bill Rosenberg, PhD, professor of political science and resident expert on political opinion and media, calls the State of the Union speech a moment of pomp and circumstance and yes, some political theater. When we sat down with Professor Rosenberg to get his perspective on President Obama’s 2014 address, he contrasted today’s State of the Union speeches with those of centuries past.

Drexel Edits, a new initiative launched by Lawrence Souder, PhD, an associate teaching professor in the Department of Culture and Communication at Drexel University, provides pro-bono editing services to area nonprofit organizations who need help with communications efforts that are essential to achieving their mission. Supported by the College of Arts and Sciences, Drexel Edits recruits volunteer editors from Drexel students, graduates and associates who want to give back to the community.

The Department of English and Philosophy announces the 7th annual DPG Essay Contest. The contest is open to current Drexel students in all majors. There is no entry fee. Categories are the Zelda Provenzano Endowed STEM Award; Humanities; Social Sciences; and Graduate Student Essay. There are a number of prizes in each of the categories, including Drexel University Bookstore gift cards and an Amazon Kindle Fire HD! Winning essays will be considered for publication in The 33rd.

During a speech last week at a Wisconsin General Electric plant, President Obama reiterated his support for the manufacturing industry, encouraging young people to pursue a technical education – while simultaneously slighting humanities disciplines.

The 15 Drexel students who volunteered at a public health clinic in Ghana over winter break were put to work almost as soon as they arrived in the village of Adansemaim—but not in any way they had anticipated.

Hailing from Albany, NY, Ali Kenner, PhD, is a new assistant professor whose research focuses on Science, Technology and Society (STS). In this Q&A, Kenner talks about her role at the Cultural Anthropology journal and her new experiences since moving to Philly.

For most writers, publishing with one of the largest publishing houses in the world is the ultimate dream. For Rachel Wenrick, associate teaching professor of English at Drexel, that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Mary Ebeling, PhD , professor of Sociology, Department of Culture and Communication, and Mira Olson, PhD, professor of Civil Engineering, Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, was awarded a $13,500 grant from the Social Science Research Fun (SSRF) for the project “Refuse, Reuse, Revalue: Waste and Redefining Value in Postindustrial Cities.”

Three Drexel students on co-op at the Spaces Between Your Fingers (SBYF) nonprofit have gained more than something to put on their resumes. Kat Kapetenakis, Michelle Johnson and Victoria Durand are getting the experience of a lifetime - and the experience of someone else's lifetime too - by talking with senior citizens to write about their most meaningful memories or life lessons for SBYF's Junior Memory Collectors Program.

At the invitation of the American Chemical Society, Dr. Peter DeCarlo went to Washington D.C. on January 28 and 29th to speak with congressional offices about Climate Change as part of the 2014 Climate Science Days.

Hailed as “the undisputed queen of African music” (Daily Telegraph) and “Africa’s premier diva” (TIME), Angélique Kidjo is aGrammy Award-winning artist with a mission to unite different cultures through music, while raising global respect for her native continent. In her debut memoir, “SPIRIT RISING: My Life, My Music,” which was released by Harper Collins on Jan. 7, Kidjo shares the inspiring story of her journey from a little-known city in Benin, on the west coast of Africa, to international superstardom. The autobiography was co-written with Rachel Wenrick, an associate teaching professor of English in Drexel University’s College of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Peter DeCarlo recently gave an invited hour lecture entitled "The Atmosphere As a Laboratory: Aerosols, Air Quality, and Climate" at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory for their Science on Saturday lecture series.

Bob Brehm came to Drexel to get away from the news cameras, but he found himself in front of them after Philadelphia's deadly Market Street building collapse in June 2013. Now he and another Drexel professor, Scott Gabriel Knowles, are stepping up to help the city in the collapse's wake.

The International Association for the History of Transport, Traffic and Mobility (T²M) invites proposals for papers to be presented at the 12th International Conference on the History of Transport, Traffic and Mobility, to be held at Drexel University on 18-21 September, 2014.

The discovery of new fossil materials from the ancient fish species Tiktaalik roseae has revealed a key link in the evolution of hind limbs. The newly described, well-preserved pelves and partial pelvic fin from this 375 million-year-old transitional species between fish and the first legged animals, reveals that the evolution of hind legs actually began as enhanced hind fins, contrary to the existing theory that large hind legs developed after vertebrates transitioned to land.

Lallen Johnson, PhD, is a new assistant professor of criminal justice whose research focuses on crime and place, race and justice. In this Q&A, Johnson reveals what bad habit he vowed never to pick up as a prof, and the healthy habit he can’t live without.

A queen in a paperwasp colony largely stays in the dark. The worker wasps, who fly outside to seek food and building materials, see much more of the world around them. A new study indicates that the brain regions involved in sensory perception also develop differently in these castes, according to the different behavioral reliance on the senses. The study is published in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.

The leatherback turtle in the Pacific Ocean is one of the most endangered animals in the world. Its population has declined by more than 90 percent since 1980. One of the greatest sources of mortality is industrial longlines that set thousands of hooks in the ocean to catch fish, but sometimes catch sea turtles as well. Using modern GPS technology, researchers are now able to predict where fisheries and turtles will interact and to reduce the unwanted capture of turtles by fishermen.

After 17 successful years, Michel Vallières, PhD, has decided to step down as head of the Department of Physics. Accomplished astrophysicist Steve McMillan, PhD, has been named interim department head.

A queen in a paperwasp colony largely stays in the dark. The worker wasps, who fly outside to seek food and building materials, see much more of the world around them. A new study led by Drexel professor Sean O'Donnell, PhD, indicates that the brain regions involved in sensory perception also develop differently in these castes, according to the different behavioral reliance on the senses.